Air conditioning system and apparatus



July 23, 196s Filed July 27, 1964 L. ROMANELLI AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l PATENT AGENT` July 23, 1968 L. ROMANIELLIl 3,393,730

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS j Filed July 27, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i s" i Il 1| 'ci l Re i so l L JI T l I l I l Igh?4 PATENT AGEN? United States Patent Olhce 3,393,730 Patented July 23, 1968 3,393,730 AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Luciano Romanelli, Via Trento 17, Brescia, Italy Filed July 27, 1964, ser. No. 385,361 Claims priority, application Italy, Aug. 8, 1963, 16,725/63 1 Claim. (Cl. 16S- 65) The present invention is related to an air-conditioning system and apparatus which exploit the conventional piping network of a conventional water heating system in order to convey in summertime water at temperatures of between 18 C. and 30 C. and to supply, without danger of condensation, to conventional radiators and to condensers of the above-mentioned air-conditioners installed in place of some of the radiators water at such temperatures.

These air-conditioners, once installed, replace permanently the conventional radiators, in that they are also provided with heating elements which are set up to use the hot water of the conventional apparatus, with the net result that they can be used to heat the surroundings as well.

The apparatus of the present invention is illustratively shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view of the air-conditioning unit or assembly;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of said unit; and

FIGURES 3 and 4'show diagrammatically the tie-in of said unit with the heating piping system through conventional radiators.

Referring in particular to the drawings, the air-conditioning apparatus is composed of a cooling element 1, which operates on the principle of the direct expansion of refrigerant gases, and of a heating element 1 which operates with hot water. Both elements 1 and 2 are, preferably, mounted horizontally in the assembly. Beneath the heating element 2, there is provided a fan 3 which agitates the surrounding air so as to have it come in contact with the heating element itself. Beneath the cooling or refrigerating element, there is provided a compressor 4 for refrigeration.

The assembly hereabove mentioned and described, comprises also a tubular condenser 5 and is mounted in a suitable housing which is open to the atmosphere only at its upper surface.

Because of its structural material composition, preferably plastic-elastic in character, the housing covers perfectly the two elements (heating and cooling) of the apparatus so that the fan 3 aspires the air which enters element 1 in the direction of arrow A and discharges said air to the outside in the direction of arrow B. The two elements 1 and 2 are, therefore, substantially in cascade relationship with each other.

Water enters through inlet pipe 6 of the conventional water heating system using conventional radiators, is introduced either directly or by means of a suitable pump to the condenser according to its volumetric requirements, then it exits from the condenser and is passed to the heating element 2 and finally, to the return pipe 7 of the system. Both inlet 6 and return pipe 7 may be by-passed so that in winter time, if the compressor cannot tolerate the excessive heat of the gas derived from the passing of hot water in the condenser, the water is prevented from passing through the condenser and is passed directly instead, to the heating element so as to heat the surroundings upon contacting the stream of air. In summertime, nstead, when the surroundings have to be cooled, the Water is prevented from passing through the heating element and forced to pass, instead through the condenser directly to the return pipe 7 of the system. In Spring and Fall time when it is necessary to dehumidify the surroundings, the water heated in the condenser passes through the heating element 2 and thus, voids or immunizes the cooling effect of the cooling element 1 and post-heats the air previously cooled and dehumidied.

In other words, the bypassing of the various components of the device for achieving the desired temperature and humidity conditions, may be effected as illustrated in FIGURE 1 by means of, for example, a single 3-way valve. If the valve (unnumbered) is so positioned as to correct the inlet riser 6 with the condenser, the water will flow from the riser 6 to the condenser 5 and from here to the outlet conduit 7, thus bypassing the heating element 2. If, on the other hand, the valve is connecting the inlet riser 6 with the vertically shown piping of the valve, then the water will flow directly to the heating element bypassing the condenser 5. From heater 2, the water is discharged through pipe 7. Finally, if the valve is so positioned as to connect the heating element 2 to the condenser 5, one obtains a closed circuit by which the water, heated in the condenser 5, flows by natural connection, to the heater 2, giving up its patent heat thereto. In this last situation, one obtains a post-heating of the ambient air when dehumiditcation is to be achieved.

All of these operations may be automated. Thus, a first winter thermostat, connected to a suitable valve, directs the water (which is at a temperature dangerous to the condenser) directly to the heating element 2; a summer thermostat actuates the cooling element v1; a humidostat actuates the cooling element in the event of excessive humidity; linally a second winter thermostat controls the introduction, both in Winter and in summer, of the water into the heating element 2. The water of dehumidiication accumulates up to a given and predetermined level on the bottom of the housing, which is sealed and waterproof. An overflow discharges the excess of water in the housing. The volume of water thus accumulated in wintertime, is caused to evaporate into the surroundings by means of an electric resistor controlled by the humidostat in accordance with the requirements of the surroundings.

-In FIGURE 2 of the drawings, one can see the grilled covering of the assembly. The vertical fins of the covering allow the air to be aspired and expelled by the fan, said covering being, further, provided with back openings for outside air intake. 'llhe air-conditioning unit, thus assembled, is capable of conditioning thermohydrometrically the surrounding atmosphere.

The above-described air-conditioner may be em-ployed in such a manner lthat the two combinations compressorevaporator-condenser (1, 4, 5) constituting what may be called the refrigerating unit and fan-heater (2, 3) constituting what may be called the thermoventilating unit may be placed in the housing in physical interrelationships other than that illustrated in FIGUR-ES 1 and 2.

Furthermore, the heating combination comprising elements 2 and 3 may be lmounted and assembled separately from the cooling complex 1-4-5, so as to provide merely for the heating of the surroundings.

The distribution network of the air-conditioner hereabove described, should be laid out substantially as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, depending on whether one utilizes well water or a cooling tower or an air cooler or an evaporator. In the case of Well water (see FIGURE 3), the water should be fed to the expansion tank 12 of the system by means of pipe 8; it is, furthermore, necessary to install immediately upstream of the circulation pump 9 a motor-driven diverting valve 10 actuated by thermostat 11 which is responsive to the temperature of the water originally fed to the network and is preset, for example, to a temperature of 18 C. If, due to a number of condensers placed at different locations in the network, the water is recycled warm, the thermostat 11 determines the opening of discharge of valve 10 and cold water is caused to flow from the expansion tank 12 to equilibrate the temperature of the water fed to the net work.

lf there is no well water available or other economic source of cold water, one employs, as mentioned hereabove, cooling towers or air coolers or evaporators. 1n these cases, there should be installed in the network upstream of pump 9 a diverting valve 13 (see FIGURE 4) which, however, conveys the water, together with discharge 14, to one of the three cooling devices mentioned hereabove, in which device 15 the water is cooled and, subsequently, reconveyed to the network upstream of pump 9 through pipe 16.

What is claimed is:

1. Air-conditioning system for use in conjunction with existing water-supplied building pipe installations, which comprises in combination:

(a) a water radiator having an inlet supply riser and an outlet collection riser provided therein;

(b) a housing positioned upstream of and in proximity to said radiator and having on its upper surface suitabfe openings for air intake and exhaust;

(c) a thermoventilating unit consisting of a fan and a heater and mounted within said housing for heating and or dehumidfying the surroundings of said housing;

(d) a refrigerating unit consisting of a cooler, a compressor and a condenser and mounted separately from said thermoventilating unit within said same housing for cooling the surroundings of said housing;

(e) piping means connecting in series said inlet Supply riser, said condenser, said heater and said outlet collection riser;

(t) a first bypassing means in said piping means to by-pass said condenser when heating said surroundings; and

(g) a second bypassing means in said piping means to by-pass said heater when cooling said surroundings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,150,224 3/1939 Hull 165--30 2,167,878 8/1939 Crawford 165-30 2,715,515 8/1955 Stair 165-30 2,867,993 l/l959 Morton et al. 62-173 5 ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES SUKALO, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH EXISTING WATER-SUPPLIED BUILDING PIPE INSTALLATIONS, WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION: (A) A WATER RADIATOR HAVING AN INLET SUPPLY RISER AND AN OUTLET COLLECTION RISER PROVIDED THEREIN; (B) A HOUSING POSITIONED UPSTREAM OF AND IN PROXIMITY TO SAID RADIATOR AND HAVING ON ITS UPPER SURFACE SUITABLE OPENINGS FOR AIR INTAKE AND EXHAUST; (C) A THERMOVENTILATING UNIT CONSISTING OF A FAN AND A HEATER AND MOUNTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING FOR HEATING AND OR DEHUMIDIFYING THE SURROUNDINGS OF SAID HOUSING; (D) A REFRIGERATING UNIT CONSISTING OF A COOLER, A COMPRESSOR AND A CONDENSER AND MOUNTED SEPARATELY FROM SAID THERMOVENTILATING UNIT WITHIN SAID SAME HOUSING FOR COOLING THE SURROUNDINGS OF SAID HOUSING; (E) PIPING MEANS CONNECTING IN SERIES SAID INLET SUPPLY RISER, SAID CONDENSER, SAID HEATER AND SAID OUTLET COLLECTION RISER; (F) A FIRST BYPASSING MEANS IN SAID PIPING MEANS TO BY-PASS SAID CONDENSER WHEN HEATING SAID SURROUNDINGS; AND (G) A SECOND BYPASSING MEANS IN SAID PIPING MEANS TO BY-PASS SAID HEATER WHEN COOLING SAID SURROUNDINGS. 